During “Sunshine Week” in mid-March, when the news media
focuses on access to government information, the Associated Press took a closer
look at the Obama administration’s pledge to become more transparent in 2013.
What AP found was that the lack of transparency in President Obama’s sixth year
was worse than ever. That’s saying a lot.
focuses on access to government information, the Associated Press took a closer
look at the Obama administration’s pledge to become more transparent in 2013.
What AP found was that the lack of transparency in President Obama’s sixth year
was worse than ever. That’s saying a lot.
“More often than ever, the administration censored
government files or outright denied access to them last year under the U.S.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA),” AP reported. “… The government’s efforts
to be more open about its activities last year were their worst since President
Barack Obama took office.”
government files or outright denied access to them last year under the U.S.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA),” AP reported. “… The government’s efforts
to be more open about its activities last year were their worst since President
Barack Obama took office.”
Amy Goodman, a left-leaning columnist and host of a radio news program, used
the AP revelations to remind her readers that just days after Obama took office
he pledged to create an “unprecedented level of openness in government.” The
most transparent administration in history.
the AP revelations to remind her readers that just days after Obama took office
he pledged to create an “unprecedented level of openness in government.” The
most transparent administration in history.
Just another presidential promise broken, Goodman said.
And she used the occasion to tell the story of one political activist who is
getting stonewalled by various Obama administration agencies in his quest for information.
And she used the occasion to tell the story of one political activist who is
getting stonewalled by various Obama administration agencies in his quest for information.
Here’s how Goodman told his story, and concluded that
Obama has gone desperately astray in his bid to keep certain government
activities secret:
Obama has gone desperately astray in his bid to keep certain government
activities secret:
“… Ryan Shapiro (is) a graduate student at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who just filed a federal lawsuit
against the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency, seeking public
records pertaining to the U.S. role in the 1962 arrest of Nelson Mandela, which
would land him in prison for 27 years. When his FOIA requests on Mandela were
denied, he sued.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who just filed a federal lawsuit
against the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency, seeking public
records pertaining to the U.S. role in the 1962 arrest of Nelson Mandela, which
would land him in prison for 27 years. When his FOIA requests on Mandela were
denied, he sued.
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| Goodman |
“… Shapiro has an interesting
history, and a personal stake in the government labeling activists ‘terrorists.’
In 2002, Shapiro engaged in an act of civil disobedience (when) … he and other activists ‘openly rescued, or
stole, animals from a factory farm, made a movie about it. I did it as an act
of civil disobedience, but it’s a real crime … I did 40 hours of community
service, and that was it.’ Since that time, state after state has passed
so-called Ag-Gag laws, which equate some animal-rights activism with terrorism,
and which can include incredibly harsh prison sentences.
history, and a personal stake in the government labeling activists ‘terrorists.’
In 2002, Shapiro engaged in an act of civil disobedience (when) … he and other activists ‘openly rescued, or
stole, animals from a factory farm, made a movie about it. I did it as an act
of civil disobedience, but it’s a real crime … I did 40 hours of community
service, and that was it.’ Since that time, state after state has passed
so-called Ag-Gag laws, which equate some animal-rights activism with terrorism,
and which can include incredibly harsh prison sentences.
“He says his dissertation in
progress, titled ‘Bodies at War: Animals, the Freedom of Science, and National
Security in the United States,’ looks ‘at the use of the rhetoric and apparatus
of national security to marginalize animal protectionists from the late 19th
century to the present.’ Shapiro is seeking a wealth of public documents to
answer the question. He has close to 700 FOIA requests before the FBI, seeking
350,000 documents, leading the Justice Department to call him its ‘most
prolific’ requester. The FBI has labeled part of his dissertation a threat to national security (emphasis
mine).
progress, titled ‘Bodies at War: Animals, the Freedom of Science, and National
Security in the United States,’ looks ‘at the use of the rhetoric and apparatus
of national security to marginalize animal protectionists from the late 19th
century to the present.’ Shapiro is seeking a wealth of public documents to
answer the question. He has close to 700 FOIA requests before the FBI, seeking
350,000 documents, leading the Justice Department to call him its ‘most
prolific’ requester. The FBI has labeled part of his dissertation a threat to national security (emphasis
mine).
“In 2008, when campaigning, Barack
Obama was often touted as a constitutional law professor. As such, we can
assume he studied writings of one of that document’s authors, James Madison,
the fourth president of the U.S., considered the ‘Father of the Bill of Rights.’
Madison wrote in 1822, ‘A popular government, without popular information, or
the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or,
perhaps both.’ With Edward Snowden’s revelations of massive NSA spying and
surveillance, and the administration’s abysmal record on transparency,
President Obama has tragically moved well beyond farce.
Obama was often touted as a constitutional law professor. As such, we can
assume he studied writings of one of that document’s authors, James Madison,
the fourth president of the U.S., considered the ‘Father of the Bill of Rights.’
Madison wrote in 1822, ‘A popular government, without popular information, or
the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or,
perhaps both.’ With Edward Snowden’s revelations of massive NSA spying and
surveillance, and the administration’s abysmal record on transparency,
President Obama has tragically moved well beyond farce.
